Automatic stop for phonographs



July 3,1923. 1,460,871

G." c. TROTTER i AUTOMA' IiC STOPIFOR PHONOGPAPHS Filed Octg- 20, 1919 4-Shets-Sheet 1 July 3, 1923.

G. C. TR OTTER AUIOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Oct. 20 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 7% may July 3, I923, I .11.,46Q871 G. c. TROTTER AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Oct. 20 1919 '4 Shee'ts-Sheet 5 7 jnvenzazm Jul -3; 1 2s. 1,460,811

Gv C. TROTTER AUTOMATIC STOP FOR PHONOQRAPHS Patented July 3, 1923.

1 UNITED] STATES PATENTIg QFFlC'EtY,

GEOBGE'C. 'rno'r'rnn, or cnrcaoo, ILLInoIs','AssIGnon TorLYMoU'rHr'nonoGnAPH PARTS 00.,0FIELYMOUTH, WISCONSIN, A conrona'rron or WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC s'ror roa rHoNooRArHsQ :1

Application filed October 20, 1919. Serial No. 332,032. Q3 5 Ta all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, Gnonon C. TROTTER, a citizen of the United States,.rcsiding at Chicago, inthe county of Cook and State of Illinois, ha-ve invented a new and useful Automatic Stop for Phonographs, of whichthc following is a specification.

This invention relates to phonographs or talking-machines, having-particular reference to the means employed for stopping the machine automatically at the end of the record being played orat any; other point'thereof; vThe principal objects of the inventio-nare to produce a simply constructed stop-mech anismcapableof operating to instantly stop the machine (at any predetermined point of the record being'played and which is set for such stoppage by a-simple manipulation of the tone-arm; also toso construct such stopmechanismaswhen operated will, in addition to stopping the ope-ration of the ma.- chine, cut off orinterrupt the current to the motor, shouldthe motor be electrically.

operated. i Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and the novel features of the invention will be more particularly pointed out in the-appended claims.

. Referring'tothe drawings:

. Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the conventional styleof phonograph or talking-1na chine embodying a t-y'pification of my invention, the tone-arm being shown in horizontal section so as to expose the interior of its base-portion and by dotted lines as beingswung to the extreme right; Fig. 2 isa similar view with the tone-arm shown by dotted lines swung to the left sufii-.

ciently far'to bring the stylus or needle to the point of the recordto be played where it is 'desiredto stop the machine-generally at the endof the record;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base-board of the machine, said board being illustrated in its inverted position and illustrating the stop-mechanism in the position it occupies when set to operate at a predetermined point onthe record; 1

Fig. 4 is a similar. View illustrating the stop-mechanism in the position it occupies after the automatic release has operated Fig. ,5 is a vertical transverse view hro gh he base-hoard lookingtoward the stop-nicchanismand viewingfthe latter 1ine'5 5 of: Fig. ,3; 1 I Fig. 6 is, an enlarge'dfldetailIinvertical longitudinal section ofthe base of the tonearm;and I 1 Fig. 7 is an inverted deta-ilview in plan of the tone-arm. i Figs. 8 and 9are fragmentary views here:- inafter referredto. I I g Similar numerals of -reference indicate similar parts throughout the drawings,

In order to clearly illustrate my invention, I have shown the present typification of the same in connectionwith somuch of the conventional styleof phonograph or talking-machine a is. necessary to show its application, but it is to be understood that the style of the machinehasnothing whatever to doiwith. the invention, and that, therefore, the cabinet of-the machine as well as the typification; now to be; described are both subjectto material modification and are fully comprehended by the invention- K The cabinet 1, of the machine, :has'the hinged cover 2', and the base-board 3,.hinged to the frame of the machine orstationary portion of the base, fl, as is usual;

Upwardly througl Ean orifice in the hinged member of the base-board extend the .rec-, ord-supporting staff or shaft 5, carrying the revolving turn table '-6,; conventionally formed. of sheet-metal and, having the ;dcpending peripheralflange 7 Y Over the usual tone-arm open ng 8,,in the stationary member of thebase-board, in rear ofthe turn-table, is mounted the tone-arm base-ring 9, the same being made annular, as is usual, and provided with a horizontal attaching flange .10, through which screws re passed for securing the same to the baseboard. 'The tone-armbase-ring 9,.is: provided with arcentrallyf located hub; 11, from which radiatearms 12, to the wall of. the ring for the purpose of" supporting the hub. (See Fig. .7.) The hub is bored vertically, as atT13, to-rec.eive vertical shaft 14, that 7 extends above and below thehub, the shaft carrying a spring ll andlock-nuts-ll. I The elbow 15, of theFtone-arm", at a'l suitable point above itslower end, is provided with an internal bearinglQ-into which the upper end of the shaft 1. L projects, and a side elevatiom-the.sectionbeing taken. on the I will be obvious, the shaft and the toneearm turn together. The lower end of the tone arm is received by the vertical flange of the base-ring, and' like-the latter, is provided with a central hub 18, supported by radiating arms 19, connected with the interior of the tone-arm, said hub being bored, as at 20, to receive the'shaft 14. The lower edge of the elbow of the tone-arm is further provided at its front with a depending stoplug 21, sufliciently long to abut against the radiating arms 12 of the base-ring-9 and thus limit the swing'or oscillation ofthe arm to approximatelyhalf a circle,'and said circuit making element 24, in this instance,

of bell-crank shape, comprising the'angularly disposed arms 25 and 26, relatively disposed at substantially an angle of 45 degrees and positioned at opposite sides of and lying in the path of the'arm 22, heretofore refererd to, so as to be struck andosc-illated by the same during the swinging movements of the tone arm. At a point opposite thearms25 and 26 of the element 24, the latter has formed a fan-shaped-or segmental contact-plate 27, the function of which will hereafter appear.

At one side of the tone-arm base, upon the stationary portion of the base-board, are mounted a pair of stationary contact-strips or plates, designated as 28 and 29, respectively, the former plate being extended well into the tone-arm opening in thebase-board and into the path of the contact-plate 27 so as to establish constant electrical connection therewith during the oscillations of the latter plate. Otherwise the contact-plate 28 is insulated from the tone-arm by proper insulating material 30, inserted between the plate and the base.

, lVe will now refer more particularly to Figs; 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, the same illustrating the mechanism secured to the underside of the movable portion of the base-board and which is set and released by the mechanism heretofore-described.

31 designates an electric-motor of any desired type, the drive-shaft 32 of which, it

willbe understood, is operatively connected by any suitable power-transmitting mechanism to the turn-table shaft 5 of the machine. This motor, it will be understood, may be operated by electric-currentreceived from any source of supply most convenient,

here- In openings formed in suitable bearing plates mounted upon'the upper andlower sides of the movable 'portion 'of the baseboard, and respectively numbered as 39 and 40, is mounted the oscillating stop-shaft 41,

see Fi 8 which as usual aro'ects above b 7 7 7 1 ll the 'boardand carries a head 42, from which projects an operating-handle 43,] that extends without the path of the record-supporting disk so that it may be conveniently manually manipulated, and also a radial stop-arm 44' (see Fig. 1,) disposed at'an angle to the operating-handle, and carrying a friction-stop 45, usually o-f'feltfadapted when the stop occupies a certain position totake frictional contact against the inner surface of the depending flange 7 of the turntable and arrest its further rotations. A rock-arm 46, (see Figs. 3 and 4,)--radiates from the lower end of the stop-shaft 41 and moves therewith, and about the latter is arranged a coiled spring 48, the tendencyof which is to rotate the shaft in a direction to normally apply the brake 45 to the rim of the record-carrying disk. By manipulating the operating-handle 43, it will be obvious that the shaft 41 may be partly rotated so that the rock-arm 46 will become engaged by the locking-shoulder 37 of the armature, normally elevated by its spring-connection 36, and thus the stop or brake locked out of contact with the flange 7 of the turntable-as when the machine is in the act of playing. v f

Secured to the underside of the baseboard at one side of the electro-magnet, and in the path of the rock-arm 46, soas to electrically contact with said arm when the lat ter is in looking engagement with the armature, is a spring contact-plate 47, the'sam'e being mounted upon a suitable insulating attaching-plate 48 and having a bindingpost49,

At a point upon the base-board adjacent the motor and electro-magnet, is mounted an insulating-plate 50, upon which is, in this instance, located a series of three bindingposts 51, 52 and 53,, the latter post being connectedby-a wire 5:4,with the bindingpost 49 of the contact-plate 47. Currentsup plying conductors 55 and 5 6, lead-respectively to the two' outer binding-posts 53 and '51, and, as before stated,"theseinay lead ifr'oin any soiiree of eleetiieel supply; A Wire 57 connects the post 51 With the "post 58 6f the mo't01--,'and 2i Wire 59', c'0nnfects' the eppesite post. 60, of the 'znoto's? With e'b'indingpost 61, located on the bearing-plate 4:0 that reeeives end supports the oscillating step shaft 41}, a branch-Wire 62; leading fidm the letter 'w vire te'one pole Of the elec bro-magnet in advence of the binding-most 61. The fenieining pole of the magnet is eenneted t0 the wheel binding-post 52 by a short Wire 63. T'hi, eempletes the wiring with the eXcept-ien, o f-ivifes 64 kind 65, the letter leading from the central binding-pest 52 t6 the contact-plate 28 in constant con taet'with the segmental e'entact-plate of the tone-arm, and the former Wire leading frdm the supply-Wife 56 to that eehtaetplate 29 in electrical eentact withthe bae- Of the wneem H I As'thiis cohsti'uc'td, the Qfietatieh is as felle'Ws: I H I Assuming the peri ee 0661115} the position in which they are illu'streted in Fig. at of t edmwings and the reofdtdbe p ayed by theinachine tebe positiened upon the thin-table. the tent-armifirst 'swungto the fight until; itsfdependihg arm 22 ab uts against the adjacent statio'na'ry radla-tlng P arm l2, whenj further pivotal movement of the t nt-arm in that dii'e'ctien Will be ari'es'ted. During} this swing to the right {if the'tene-eiin', it Will be seen its depending arm 22 will have engaged with the a'rn126 Of the osillating setting elihel'lt 24:, causmg the lettei to swing to the right. i The tone 'ai'in is new swungin e r'e'veise direction or w th; lefhthfe depending arm '32 f "th on e'im engagingwith the eonipenien arm 259i the setting? element and eei'i ving said ele'-' merit and" its arms in the same diiectieii. This moirementte the left is continued 'enly until the 'styhis er needle of the machine has ieached either the end of the record 0i some predetermined intennediete point thereon Where the Operator desires the stop-meant nismto operate. The tone-eflh is then again swung t0 the right to bi'ingthestylus to that peint of the record Where is to begin but short of the anti 2 6- se that the positien etthe setting-element i; not

again disturbed. Thiisit will be seen that when this latter movement takes plate the setting? eleinent will be left eteres t With its arm 25 leeeted atsuehpeint with i eletien to the ree'ord being pliyed that i vhe'n the needle in styhi's reaches that peint the depen in are 22 6f the tene-etni W311 intke eleetricel centeet with the .eriii 25 eiIid-the eleetrie Cifeuit will be comtleted; I

When the arts are this set, it only i e-' nieins to start the fneehine' by mo-vitg the operating-handle 43 of the stojifimechanisin to the right. .Thi s,.fee will be seen, i'eineve' the fiictieii heed Oi bi'eke froin contact With the depending ilaiigeef the turn-teble,"en'- I gages the reek-arm of the stop-'shaftjwith the spring actuated armature, whereby the fdck 'a 'nn becomes locked ageinst'the tend en'cy of its spring, and establishes the cireuit to] the inotef byeentae't of the roeleei'ni with the spring Contact plate 47, by wire 59.

When, as before stated, the tone-am; teaches that point Where its depending arm 22 eoiitaets with the EtiIIi 25 Of the setting eleme t, an lectr ical'zsirc it is completedb'e tween the electrical source of supply, and

the electro-magnet, as will be obvious, and

the magnet becoming energized and a-ttre'cting the a1'metu'15e,*the latter Will becaused' to disengage frem its {loeking pe'sition vyith the ro'ek-a-i'in pf the stop-shaft, thus permitting the latter o be ostiillated by its spring whereby thiow its frict-ibn-he'ad to brake position against thedependingi-in from themotor. V

-VVhile I hate shown eiid dseribed l ny'in-I ventie'n ebiineetieii' with a phen'ogfajehfor talking-machineepei etedby an eleetrieall y driven and have, therefore, pref f my included means fer arresting the Slip ply ef' eurient tefithe mater simultaneous i ith bf the tui'n-tebl'e; 5,1; the same time itwill be perfectly ebirioiis that the stop-mechanism described is just (is apjolieeble' to photographs eitelking-Inaehines tthrwise Operated, onejer more 0i'-' dina'r'y cemmer'cni ,dij eel1s. being utilized foif energizing the eIeetiO-Inagnet. In siieh instence thetviifing s een and described 1 would be considerably simplified and the 51, end 53, their pumme gether with the eont-eetplete 47,

oniitt'ed eltogethei, it merely remeinin'g to conheet bile Pele, Of the battery withene pole 6f the eleeti'odileg'net end the femaining" pole of the latter to the steje-sheftlbeiring plate 61 and with the remaining pole bf the bet teryv n v y Meiij-inedifieetions n the details (if parts end in the arrangements shoWnWill readily sugiiest' themeeltres. so that I would have it" nndeifsteedthatI do not p l'etend to limit invention to the details end arrengernents shown end desei ibed. siieh ihei'ely being the siinble typificatidn of my intentien.

. Having described my invention whet I 5 1 .i i 1.1. e, p v qg h th b i h i a rotary record-supportihg 'meens a; bieke adepted "when released to entoinetically bike iipoii and meet: the moteinent bf said reeerd supperting means, an eleeti-ei-rneenet the armature of whi'chwhen deenergized,

&

engages the brakej'and holds it in its inoperative position, a source of electrical supply,

a swiveled tone-arm, a contact below and insulated therefrom, a contactcarried by and within the tone-arm and adapted to contact with the first mentioned contact when the tone-arm is at a certain point of its travel, and electrical connections between the electrical supply, the electro-magnet and the twocontacts, whereby when thecircuit is completed by the contacts the electro-magnet is energized and its armature magnetized to release the said brake. i a

2- In a phonograph, the combination of a rotary record-supporting means, a brake adapted when released to automatically s brake upon and arrest the movement of said record-supporting means, an electro-magnet,

the armature of which, when deenergized, engages the brake andholds 1t in lts lnoperative position, a source of electrlcalsupply,

a swiveled tone-arm, 'a pivotally" movable rotary record-supporting means,:-a brake adapted when released to automatically brake upon and arrest the movement of said record-supporting means, an clectro-magnet, th'e armature of which, when deenergized,

engages the-brake and holdsit in its inoper ativeposition, a source of electrical supply, a swivele d tone-arm, an oscillating contact insulated from the t0ne-arm.-an'd supported adjacent the same, a contact carried by the tone-arm and adapted to contact with-the first mentioned contact, means carried by the tone-arm for positioning the contact with relation to the contactott the tone arm, and electrical connections between the. electrical supply, the electro-rnagnet, andthetwo contacts, whereby when the circuit is completed by the contacts caused by the travel ofthe tone-armthe electro-magnet is energized and its armature magnetized to release the; said brake. w v

4. In a phonograph, the combination of a rotary record-supporting means, a brake adapted when, released to automatically brake upon and arrest the movement of said record-supporting means, .an elec-' tro-magnet, the armature of which, when .deenergized, engages the brake and holds it in its inoperative position, a source of electrical supply, a swiveled tone-arm, an oscillating contact insulated from the tone-arm and adjacent the same, a contact carried by the. tone-arm andadapted to contact withthat of the base, means carried by the tonearm for positioning said movable contactof the base with relation to the contact of the tone-arm, whereby the two are caused to establish a circuit at a predetermined point, and electrical connections between the electrical supply, the electro-magnet, and the two contacts, whereby when the circuit is completed by the contacts during the travel of the tone-arm the electro-magnetis ener-. gized and its armature magnetized to release the said brake. v v r i 5. In a phonograph, the combination ofarotary record-supporting means,xa brake adapted when released to automatically brake upon and arrest the movementfof said record-supporting means, an ele ctro-mage net, the armature of which, when deenergrized, engages the brakeand holdsit in its inoperative position, a] source of electrical supply, a swiveled tone-arm, an. oscillating bell-crank contact supported below and insulated from the-tone'-arm,a contact carried by the tone-arm and depending betweenqthe arms of said belLcrank, contact and adapted to oscillate the samewhen saidhtone-arm is oscillated, and electrical connections between the electrical supply,the electrosmagnet, and i the two contacts. 1 i T 6. In aphonograph, the combination of a record supporting means adapted to rotate, a brake adapted when releasedto automatically brake upon and arrest 1 the movementof said record-supporting means, an electrom'agnet, the armature of whichywhen deenergized, engages the brake and holds it in its inoperative position, a sourcelof electrical supply, a base for a tone-arm having'a cenvtral. hub, a vertical shaft mountedin ,the hub, a tone-arm received by said base and supported upon said shaft, a bell-crankicontact mounted to rotate upon and insulated fromsaid shaft, a contact-arm dependingfrom: the tone-arm between the armsof the bell-crank contact and adapted to oscillate the latter when moved in one, direction for the purpose of setting saidbell crank and to contact there with upon its return'movement to the same point, and electrical connections between the electrical supply, the electro-magnet, and the two contacts.

7. In a phonograph, the combination of a rotary record-supporting.means,a stop adapted when released to brake vupongand arrest the movement of said record-supporting means, an electro-magnet the armature of ,which when deenergizedlvengages, and hold said stop in its inoperative position, an annular tone-arm base provided with a bored hub, a vertically disposedgshatt mounted in the hub and extending above and below the same, a bell-crankshapjed i contact mounted to oscillate upon the shaft below'the hub and insulated therefrom and the shaft, .a tone-arm received by the base and supported upon the upper end of said shaft and provided with a fcontact arm dei pending between the arms o'f the bellrcrank shaped contact and adaptedtoc ontact with said arms of the bell-crank shaped contact.

and oscillate the same, and an electricalcircuit between the source of electrical supply, the. electro-magnet, the bell-crank shaped contact and the tone-arm. i r

8. In a phonograph, the combination with a record-supporting means adapted to-.ro-,

' carried by the base and having its arms. po-

sitioned at either side of the projecting contact of the tone-arm and adapted to be struck thereby, a segmental contact-plate projecting from the bell-crank shaped contact, a pairof contact-plates, one of which is in sliding contact with said segmental contact-plate and the other of which is in circuit with the projecting contact-arm, and.

electrical connections between the source of electrical supply, the electro-magnet, and

the two said contact-plates.

9. In a phonograph, the combination of a rotary record-support, an oscillatingtonee arm, a contact carried thereby and therein, a stationary contact adjacent thereto, a movable electrical connection between the two contacts and adapted to be set byv the movement of the tone-arm and disposed in the path of the contact carried thereby and in contact wlth a statlonary contact, a stationary contact connected with the tone-arm,

a stop-mechanism for the record-support adapted to normally arrest the movement of the latter, an electro-magnet the armature of which engages and withholds the stop-mechanism from its operative position when said electro-magnet is deenergized, a source of electrical supply, and electrical connections between the latter, the electro-magnet, the contact of the tone arm, and the stationary contact.

10. In a phonograph, the combination'of a rotary record-support, a motor for operating the same, a power supply for said motor, a cut-off for said supply, a stopmechanism for arresting themovement of said record-support when said stop-mechanism occupies its normal position, an electricalsupply, an electro-magnet the armature of which is adapted when not influtionary contact adjacent the. tone arin and insulated therefrom, a movable contact sup; ported adjacent the tone-arm in sliding con,- tactwith the stationary; contact and disposed in the patlrof saidcontact of the tone-arm so as to, be. adjustedby the move- 1 ment of the tone arm, electrical connections between the electrical supply, the-v-electromagnet, the stationary contact andfth'e tone-T arm,v-and means carried by the stop-mocha nism for operating the cut-off ofpow'er to themotor when said-stop mechanism is released by said armature.

a record-supporting means, a motor for'aperating the same, a stop-shaft 'ada'ptedito oscill'atefa stop-arm at" the upper fend of the shaft adapted to contact with and" ari "ll, In a phonograph, the'combinationzof j rest the movement of the record-support ing means, a contact-arm at the lowerend of the shaft, a spring for normally applying the stop-arm on the record-support, a spring contact-plate in the path of the contact-arm and adapted to contact therewith only when the stop-mechanism is out of its. operating position, an 'electro-magnet the armature" of which is normally in position to-engage the contact-arm and:.render the stop-mechanism source of electrical supply, an oscillating tone-arm, a contact carried thereby, a con-' tact located in the path of the contact of inoperative, a v f the tone-arm and adapted to engage the same when the tone-arm reaches a predes termined position, and electrical connections betweenthe supply, the electro-magnet, the tone-arm contact and the companion contact and the stop-shaft contact-arm, and similar connections between the electrical supply, the motor, the contact-plate adjacent thestop-sha a 12. In a phonograph, the combination with a turn-table, an oscillating shaft adjacent thereto and carrying a contact,'an electro-magnet the armature of which is adapted to normally engage said contact, a

brake carried by theshaft, a spring for normally throwing the brake into contact with the turn-table for arresting the rotation of the latter, of a stationary base-ring, a bored hub supported by radiating arms in said ring, a vertically disposed supporting-rod mounted in said hub, an insulating spool mounted on the rod below the hub, a ring mounted on the spool and provided at one side with arms angularly disposed with relation to-each other andat the opposite side with a flared contact-plate, a contact-strip insulated from i the basering and having movable contact with the flared contact-' plate, a tone-arm having an internal bearing supported 'upon the upper end of said rod and adapted to swing, a stop-arm adapted to contact with the opposite'hub-supporting arms of the ring to limit the oscillations of the tone-arm, a contact-arm' depending from the tone-arm between "the angularly disposed arms of the-ring-of the hub, a

source of electrical-supply, a connection. be-

tween the same and the tone-armpthe contact-strip, the electr c-magnet and the contact-arm of the brake-carrying" shaft.

Inaphonograph-a rotary record sup port, a' brake for arrestingthe movement of said support; electro magnetic means for 1 holding saidbrake 1n inoperative position,

a vtone-arm movable about a plvot, acon-.

tact insulated from said tone-arm, a contact located near said toneearmand engaqeable Withsaid insulated contact when said tonearm. reaches a predetermined position, one of said contacts being supported directly by said tonearin pivot, a source of electrical energy, and electrical connections between said source, said electro magnetic means and said contacts, whereby completion of a circuit by said contacts causes said electromagnetic means-t0 release said brake.

14. In aphonograph, a movable record support, a brake for said support, means for holding said brake ininoperative po tone-arm pivot, a source of electricalen- V orgy, and electrical connections between said source, said brake holding means and said contacts, vvherebycompletion of a circuit by said contacts causes release 'ott said brake.

\ GEO, o. TRoTrERf 

